Coronavirus restrictions cancels Maggie Island to Townsville swim
The popular Magnetic Island to Townsville swim, where swimmers once swam in a shark cage, has been cancelled this year because of coronavirus restrictions.
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The popular Magnetic Island to Townsville swim has been cancelled this year because of coronavirus restrictions.
Townsville Open Water Swimming Association president John Barrett made the decision to axe the event that typically draws in 100 swimmers each year for the 8km ocean swim, which has been going for 66 years.
In the past, swimmers swam in a shark cage but a global pandemic forced organisers to pull the pin in March, during the height of restrictions.
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Mr Barrett said the opening of public pools this Friday offered a glimmer of hope for smaller events though.
“Probably in July, August we might be able to run some,” he said.
Mr Barrett has continued to train three to four times a week during the pandemic, swimming laps in the stinger nets at The Strand.
He said it was a positive having the pools reopen on Friday but he was concerned about how it would be managed, with only 10 people allowed to swim at a time.
Originally published as Coronavirus restrictions cancels Maggie Island to Townsville swim